Medical instrument housing container

ABSTRACT

A medical instrument housing container includes a container body including a substantially rectangular base, a peripheral wall having a lower end that is contiguous to a perimeter of the base and that extends upward, and a peripheral edge member that comprises a plurality of peripheral edges, that is contiguous to an upper end of the peripheral wall, and that extends outwardly, wherein the substantially rectangular base, the peripheral wall, and the peripheral edge member are molded from resin, and the container body has an opening surrounded by the peripheral edge member; a plurality of medical instruments held in the container body; and a protection film that is adhered or heat-sealed to the peripheral edge member for covering and sealing the opening. At least a portion of the peripheral edge member is curved inwardly. The protection film covers the opening in a flexed condition.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/660,099, filed on Mar. 17, 2015, which is a continuation applicationfiled under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) claiming the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §§ 120and 365(c) of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2013/050189, filedon Jan. 9, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a medical instrument housing containerthat holds medical instruments such as medical devices andpharmaceutical products and is sterilized.

Background Art

Medical instruments including medical devices such as prefilled syringeswith syringe barrels prefilled with a drug and prefillable syringestherefor, syringes, needles, blood collection bags, blood collectioninstruments, and catheters, and pharmaceutical products such as vialbottles are contained and sterilized in medical instrument containers,aseptically packaged, and opened for use in medical facilities.

Taking prefilled syringes as an example, first, in a manufacturingfactory of prefillable syringes, prefillable syringes are contained insubstantially rectangular parallelepipedic, disposable containers thatare made of resin and suitable for transport and storage. The containersare then sealed by a protection film via a layer of adhesive,sterilized, and transported to a factory where the syringe barrels areto be filled with a drug. In the latter factory, the prefillablesyringes are taken out of the containers, filled with the drug, and thena plunger is inserted into the syringes to make prefilled syringes. Theprefilled syringes thus produced are enclosed in sterile packaging bagsand transported to users such as doctors.

As an example of such a housing container used for transporting medicalinstruments that require sterilization, JP 2004-513707 W describes amultipurpose package including a plastic tub and a cover fixed to thetub so as to seal the tub with an impervious sealing zone. Themultipurpose package can be used to accommodate sterile products orproducts intended to be sterilized.

For such a housing container, it is necessary that the sealed andsterile conditions inside the container holding medical instruments aremaintained all the way through distribution and storage. However, thehousing container, which is typically a substantially rectangularparallelepipedic casing, is subject to substantial profile change as aresult of application of stresses which it cannot withstand, in the formof vibration, impacts due to a fall or a collision, external pressure,and the like during packing, transport, or storage. Especially, the edgeof an opening covered with a protection film at the top of the containeris most likely to deform due to concentration thereto of stresses suchas vibration, impacts, external pressure, or the like. Furthermore, asshown in FIG. 5(c), for example, due to the straightness of peripheraledges as individual sides of the substantially rectangular opening, whenan external stress F₁ is applied to a paired, parallel, and opposingperipheral edges 55 a, 55 c of a housing container 50, peripheral edges55 b, 55 d therebetween are pushed outwardly. As is shown by the two-dotdashed lines, when the peripheral edges 55 b, 55 d are deformedoutwardly, a protection film 31 can be forcefully pulled outwardly andeventually be detached as it is unable to follow the deformation. Thus,even if the protection film 31 has securely sealed the opening, theprotection film 31 can be detached as it is unable to follow thedeformation of the peripheral edges 55 b, 55 d of the housing container50, and consequently, the container is unable to maintain the sealedcondition thereof.

There is a desire for a medical instrument housing container that canprevent detachment of a protection film due to stresses such asvibration, impacts, external pressure, and the like during packing,transport, or storage, so that the sealed and sterile conditions thereofare maintained.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

One objective of certain embodiments of the present invention is toprovide a medical instrument housing container that is capable ofbuffering deformation due to stresses such as vibration, impacts,external pressure, and the like and absorbing such stresses so as toprevent detachment of a protection film due to the stresses duringpacking, transport, or storage and that is further capable of preventingdetachment of the protection film during sterilization so as to maintainthe inside sealed and sterile conditions.

According to one embodiment, a medical instrument housing containerincludes a container body including: a substantially rectangular base, aperipheral wall having a lower end that is contiguous to a perimeter ofthe base and extending upward, and a peripheral edge member thatcomprises a plurality of peripheral edges, that is contiguous to anupper end of the peripheral wall, and that extends outwardly. Thesubstantially rectangular base, the peripheral wall, and the peripheraledge member are molded from resin, and the container body has an openingsurrounded by the peripheral edge member. The medical instrument housingcontainer further includes one or more medical instruments held in thecontainer body; and a protection film that is adhered or heat-sealed tothe peripheral edge member for covering and sealing the opening. Themedical instrument housing container is a medical instrument housingcontainer that has been subjected to sterilization. At least a portionof the peripheral edge member is curved inwardly. The protection filmcovers the opening in a flexed condition.

In one aspect, at least two opposing peripheral edges of the peripheraledge member are curved inwardly.

In one aspect, the opening is substantially rectangular with a longerside having a length in a range of 225 to 245 mm and a shorter sidehaving a length in a range of 190 to 210 mm. The peripheral wall has athickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.

In one aspect, the peripheral wall has a ledge disposed around andprotruding inward from an inner wall surface of the peripheral wall. Themedical instrument housing container further includes a nest trayconfigured to hold the medical instrument, the nest tray being mountedon the ledge.

In one aspect, the peripheral wall is divided into an upper peripheralwall surface contiguous to an outer edge of the ledge and extendingtoward the peripheral edge member and a lower peripheral wall surfacecontiguous to an inner edge of the ledge and extending toward the base.

In one aspect, the one or more medical instruments comprise a pluralityof syringe barrels intended to be filled with a drug, each having a capat a distal end and a flange at a proximal end. A plurality of receivingcylinders configured to receive the plurality of syringe barrels isdisposed such that the receiving cylinder extend through the nest tray,the receiving cylinders being organized in rows.

In one aspect, at least a portion of the peripheral edge member has aninward curvature in a range of 1 to 5 mm.

In one aspect, the protection film is a nonwoven sheet made of resinthat is gas permeable and impervious to particulates.

In one aspect, the sterilization is autoclaving. As a result of theautoclaving, the peripheral edge member is curved inward and theprotection film that has been adhered or heat-sealed to the peripheraledge member is flexed.

In one aspect, the peripheral edge member has a width in a range of 7 to30 mm.

In one aspect, the ledge has a width in a range of 5 to 30 mm.

In one aspect, the opening is substantially rectangular with a longerside having a length in a range of 225 to 245 mm and a shorter sidehaving a length in a range of 190 to 210 mm. The peripheral wall has athickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.

In one aspect, the peripheral wall has a ledge disposed around andprotruding inward from an inner wall surface of the peripheral wall. Themedical instrument housing container further includes a nest trayconfigured to hold the medical instrument, the nest tray being mountedon the ledge.

In one aspect, the peripheral edge member comprises a first pair of twoopposing peripheral edges curved inwardly and a second pair of twoopposing peripheral edges curved inwardly.

A medical instrument housing container according to certain embodimentsof the present invention is of a type in which a wall surface of aperipheral wall of a container body and a peripheral edge contiguousthereto are formed having a pre-shaped inward curve or a curve towardthe inside of the container body. As a result of this, when stressescaused by external forces such as vibration, impacts, external pressure,and the like are applied to the medical instrument housing container,possible deformation thereof is oriented inwardly or toward the insideof the container body, and the protection film is instantaneously flexedto absorb the stresses, resulting in buffering of the deformation.Furthermore, even if outward deformation takes place, the originalflection of the protection film allows the protection film to follow thedeformation and thus prevent detachment of the protection film.

In one aspect, during sterilization, especially due to high temperatureand high humidity from autoclaving, the wall surface of the peripheralwall of the container and the peripheral edge contiguous thereto aredeformed only inwardly of the container along with shrinkage of theprotection film. Thus detachment of the protection film is prevented.

Hence, in accordance with the medical instrument housing container, thesealed and sterile conditions within the container body are maintainedso that the medical instruments contained are protected fromcontamination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a medical instrument housingcontainer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view of a container body of the medicalinstrument housing container.

FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view of the medical instrument housingcontainer

FIG. 3 is a schematic partially enlarged plan view of the container bodyof the medical instrument housing container.

FIG. 4(a) is a plan view showing the medical instrument housingcontainer in a state prior to both containing medical instruments andsterilization.

FIG. 4(b) is a plan view showing the medical instrument housingcontainer in a state containing medical instruments and sealed by aprotection film, prior to sterilization.

FIG. 4(c) is a plan view showing the medical instrument housingcontainer in a state sealed by the protection film post autoclaving.

FIG. 4(d) is a plan view showing the medical instrument housingcontainer in a state after sterilization and after removal of theprotection film.

FIG. 5(a) is a schematic view showing profile change of the medicalinstrument housing container when a first external force is appliedthereto.

FIG. 5(b) is a schematic view showing profile change of the medicalinstrument housing container when a second external force is appliedthereto.

FIG. 5(c) is a schematic view showing profile change of a conventionalhousing container when an external force is applied thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed description of embodiments of the present invention will now beprovided; however, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scopeof the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an embodiment of a medical instrument housingcontainer 1 of the present invention will now be described.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the medical instrument housingcontainer 1 holding medical instruments that are syringe barrels 21intended to be filled with a drug. As is shown in FIG. 1, a medicalinstrument housing container 1 is a substantially rectangularparallelepipedic casing. In a container body 10 of the medicalinstrument housing container 1, a substantially square base 2 iscontiguous with a peripheral wall 3 that is extended upward from andsurrounding the base 2, and an opening 4 is defined as surrounded by anupper end of the peripheral wall 3. The container body 10 is taperedtoward the base 2, which has a smaller area compared to the opening 4. Amiddle portion of the peripheral wall 3 is further tapered forming aledge 9 that is disposed around and extends horizontally from an innerwall surface of the peripheral wall 3 toward the inside of the containerbody 10. Around the opening 4, a peripheral edge 5 formed as a flangehaving a uniform width extends contiguously and outwardly from the upperend of the peripheral wall 3. Medical instruments intended to besterilized, such as medical devices and pharmaceutical products, areheld in the container body surrounded by the base 2 and the peripheralwall 3. The base 2, the peripheral wall 3, the ledge 9, and theperipheral edge 5 are integrally made of thermoplastic resin.

On the ledge 9 of the medical instrument housing container 1, a nestmember 11 is mounted so as to hold medical instruments. The nest member11 has a substantially rectangular shape that is slightly smaller thanthe opening 4 of the medical instrument housing container 1 and is theright size to fit on the ledge 9. The nest tray 11 has a plurality ofcylindrical receiving cylinders 13 therethrough, each individuallyhaving an open upper end and an open lower end. The cylindricalreceiving cylinders 13 are spaced from one another in a plurality ofrows. The nest tray 11 has two notches 12 sized so that a finger can beinserted therethrough to pick up the nest tray 11 to put it into or takeit out of the medical instrument housing container 1.

The syringe barrel 21 has a cap 22 covering a nozzle 23, a syringe body24, and a flange 25 around a proximal-end opening 26. The receivingcylinders 13 can removably and insertably receive a plurality of syringebarrels 21 therethrough. The syringe barrels 21 are individuallyinserted into each of the receiving cylinders 13. The receivingcylinders 13 lock the syringe barrels 21 by the flange 25 and suspendthem.

The inside of the medical instrument housing container 1 is sealed by aprotection film 31 that is gas permeable and impervious to particulates,e.g. a nonwoven sheet made of resin, adhered or heat-sealed to theperipheral edge 5 formed on the top face of the medical instrumenthousing container 1 contiguously to the opening 4 that is surrounded bythe upper end of the peripheral wall 3.

FIG. 2(a) shows a perspective view of just the container body 10 of themedical instrument housing container 1, while FIG. 2(b) shows aperspective view of the medical instrument housing container 1. Thecontainer body 10 includes a pair of opposing peripheral edge side faces8 a, 8 c and another pair of opposing peripheral edge side faces 8 b, 8d of the peripheral edge 5 symmetrically curved inwardly or toward theinside of the container body 10 in an arc shape, respectively, as aresult of the shrinkage of resin. Correspondingly, the peripheral edges5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d of the same width along four sides of the opening 4are curved toward the inside of the container body in an arc shape. As aresult of the curved peripheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d, the protectionfilm 31 that is originally a flat sheet becomes flexed. It should benoted that the protection film 31 in this embodiment has wrinkles 32caused by the flection.

The peripheral wall 3 that is a lateral side of the container body 10includes an upper peripheral wall surface 6 connecting the peripheraledge 5 and the ledge 9, and a lower peripheral wall surface 7 connectingthe ledge 9 and the base 2. Corresponding to the curves of theperipheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d, one pair of opposing upperperipheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 c and another pair of opposing upperperipheral wall surfaces 6 b, 6 d of the peripheral wall 3 aresymmetrically curved inwardly or toward the inside of the container body10 in an arc shape, respectively. Because the opening 4 is subject todeformation by stresses, the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d and theupper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d can be curved by theshrinkage of resin. In contrast, the ledge 9 is horizontal and securelysupported by the corners of adjacent lower peripheral wall surfaces 7 a,7 b, 7 c, 7 d to be resistant to deformation; therefore, the lowerperipheral wall surfaces 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d and the base 2 are hardlycurved even with the shrinkage of resin.

When an external force is applied to the container body 10, the lowerends of all the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d aresupported by the ledge 9 and the upper ends of the same defining thedeformable opening 4 are inwardly inclined, thus, as is shown by thetwo-dot dashed lines, the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d togetherwith the peripheral edge side faces 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d are furtherdeformable in an arc-shaped curve. When an external force is applied tothe medical instrument housing container 1 and results in application ofa lateral stress F₁ to the peripheral edge side faces 8 b, 8 d as shownin FIG. 2(b), the peripheral edges 5 b, 5 d are further deformed in anarc-shaped curve. On the other hand, the paired peripheral edges 5 a, 5c between the peripheral edges 5 b, 5 d are subjected to a stress F₂,whereby the upper ends of the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 care outwardly inclined, outwardly moving the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 ctogether with the protection film 31. Here, in addition to the curvesthemselves absorbing stresses applied thereto, the protection film 31over the opening 4 in a flexed condition (in this embodiment, withwrinkles 32) is capable of absorbing the outward stress F₂ by stretchingthe flection (in this embodiment, wrinkles 32) thereof. Further,deformation of the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 c can be buffered. Hence,even if these external forces are applied to the container body 10, theexternal forces hardly affect the protection film 31; therefore, theprotection film 31 remains attached.

The curve in the medical instrument housing container 1 shown in FIGS.2(a) and 2(b) is exaggeratedly shown in FIG. 3 as a schematic partiallyenlarged plan view. Shown in FIG. 3 is a curvature corresponding to thedegree of a curve of one side of the peripheral edge 5 of the medicalinstrument housing container 1.

A curvature is determined from a distance between a straight lineconnecting two outermost vertexes, each of which residing near oppositeends of an arc-shaped side of the symmetrical peripheral edge 5, and aninnermost vertex at about the center of the arc-shaped side of theperipheral edge 5. For example, when a virtual perpendicular line isdrawn from a center Q₁ of a virtual straight line connecting outermostvertexes, namely, an originating point A₁ and a terminating point B₁residing near opposite ends of an arc-shaped side of the peripheral edge5 outer circumference, a distance between the center Q₁ and a cross-overpoint P₁ of the virtual perpendicular line and the peripheral edge 5outer circumference (i.e., the innermost vertex of the peripheral edge 5outer circumference) is a curvature X₁. Similarly, when a virtualperpendicular line is drawn from a center Q₂ of a virtual straight lineconnecting outermost vertexes, namely, an originating point A₂ and aterminating point B₂ residing near opposite ends of an arc-shaped sideof the peripheral edge 5 inner circumference, a distance between thecenter Q₂ and a cross-over point P₂ of the virtual perpendicular lineand the peripheral edge 5 inner circumference (i.e., the innermostvertex of the peripheral edge 5 inner circumference) is a curvature X₂.Because the peripheral edge 5 goes around with a uniform width, thecurvatures X₁ and X₂ should present as substantially the same value.

The curvatures X₁ and X₂ are respectively 5 mm maximum, preferably from1 to 5 mm, and more preferably from 23 mm. It follows that theperipheral edge side faces 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d of the peripheral edge 5are curved by the values of the curvatures X₁ and X₂.

Curvatures of the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d aresmaller than the curvatures X₁ and X₂. Curvatures of the lowerperipheral wall surfaces 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d and the base 2 are nearlyzero.

The medical instrument housing container 1 is manufactured as will bedescribed in the following with reference to FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d) showingthe manufacturing process.

FIG. 4(a) is a plan view of the medical instrument housing container 1in a state prior to both containing medical instruments andsterilization. First, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the medical instrumenthousing container 1 is molded into a shape wherein a substantiallyrectangular opening 4 composed of straight sides without twist orwarpage, a planar peripheral edge 5 therearound with similarly straightsides, and a lower peripheral wall surface 7 connecting a ledge 9 onwhich a nest member 11 is mounted and a base 2 are planar without acurve or a bend, having flat side faces.

FIG. 4(b) is a plan view of the medical instrument housing container 1after containing medical instruments (not shown) and sealed by aprotection film 31, prior to sterilization. In the medical instrumenthousing container 1, a nest member 11 is placed with medicalinstruments, for example, a plurality of syringe barrels 21 beinginserted into receiving cylinders 13. The nest member 11 is mounted onthe ledge 9 (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 4(b), the opening 4 iscovered with the protection film 31 so as to cover the contained medicalinstruments, and the protection film 31 is adhered or heat-sealed to theperipheral edge 5, such that the inside of the medical instrumenthousing container 1 is sealed.

The medical instrument housing container 1, in the sealed state, isautoclaved in an autoclave sterilization chamber. In this autoclave stepfor sterilizing the medical instrument housing container 1 using a hightemperature, high pressure saturated water vapor, the protection film 31and the container body 10, being made of resin, shrink to some extent.Here, the corners jointing the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b,6 c, 6 d are gently bent so that they are rigid and hardly deformed. Incontrast, due to the shrinkage of resin and due to the fact that theinternal pressure of the sealed container body 10 is lower than that ofthe autoclave sterilization chamber, the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c,5 d that have been adhered or heat-sealed to the protection film 31 andthe upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d become deformabletoward the inside of the container body to be curved to form anarc-shaped convex portion, thus drawn toward the center of the containertogether with the protection film 31, and are eventually curved. Here,each side face of the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 dis deformed in the same direction, i.e., toward the inside of thecontainer body; however, the corners, the lower peripheral wall surfaces7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d, and the base 2 of the medical instrument housingcontainer 1 are hardly affected by the deformation of the peripheraledges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d and the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6b, 6 c, 6 d. Hence, it follows that those curved are the peripheraledges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d and the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6b, 6 c, 6 d.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 4(c), the medical instrument housingcontainer 1 sealed by the protection film 31 post autoclaving is in astate in which the protection film 31 covers the curved opening 4 andstill seals the inside of the container body because the protection film31 remains adhered or heat-sealed to the peripheral edge 5, the sidefaces of the medical instrument housing container 1 are oriented towardthe inside of the container body, and the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5c, 5 d and the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d aredeformed in an arc shape. Because the protection film 31 is lessshrinkable than the peripheral edges 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d and the upperperipheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d, a flection is caused by thedifferential shrinkage. It should be noted that the protection film 31in this embodiment has wrinkles 32 caused by the flection.

The medical instrument housing container 1 is used as follows.

The aseptically sealed medical instrument housing container 1 istransported to a factory where the syringe barrels 21 are to be filledwith a drug, and, in the factory, the protection film 31 over theopening 4 of the medical instrument housing container 1 is removed in aclean room. Here, as shown in FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 4(d), which are planviews showing only the container body 10 of the post-sterilizationmedical instrument housing container 1 after removal of the protectionfilm 31, the peripheral edge 5 to which the protection film 31 had beenadhered or heat-sealed and the opening 4 of the medical instrumenthousing container 1 have been curved and deformed due to the deformableside faces. However, the lower peripheral wall surface 7 connecting theledge 9 and the base 2 remains free of deformation.

To the syringe barrels 21 with the drug, for example, the medicalinstrument housing container 1 holding the syringe barrels 21 is placedat a predetermined position in a drug filling machine (not shown).Subsequently, using a nozzle of the drug filling machine, apredetermined dose of a desired drug is filled in the syringe barrels 21through the proximal-end opening 26 of the respective syringe barrels 21placed in the medical instrument housing container 1. Following this,the syringe barrels 21 locked at the upper ends of the receivingcylinders 13 in the nest member 11 are taken out of the medicalinstrument housing container 1 to have a plunger (not shown) insertedthereinto to make prefilled syringes. The prefilled syringes aresterilized as needed, individually enclosed in a packaging bag, andtransported to medical facilities to be used by users such as doctors.

As a way of example of an embodiment of the medical instrument housingcontainer 1 of the present invention, the shown example uses the medicalinstrument housing container 1 whose container body 10 initially has nodeformation or curve; but its shape is changed to have a curve duringsterilization by autoclaving; however, as shown in FIG. 4(d), a medicalinstrument housing container 1 molded with any pre-curved side face maybe used and further curved during autoclaving.

A method of sterilization is not limited to autoclaving, but may also beethylene oxide gas sterilization, gamma ray sterilization, or electronbeam sterilization.

In sterilization that does not employ high temperature, high humidityconditions provided by high pressure steam, such as ethylene oxide gassterilization, gamma ray sterilization, and electron beam sterilization,resin will not shrink; therefore, medical instrument housing container 1does not undergo deformation during sterilization. In that case, theheat from the heat sealing of the protection film 31 may be used toshrink and curve the peripheral edge 5 so that the protection film 31 isflexed.

Alternatively, in sterilization where the medical instrument housingcontainer 1 does not undergo deformation, a medical instrument housingcontainer 1 molded with any pre-curved side face may be used, as isshown in FIG. 4(d). For such a medical instrument housing container 1molded with any pre-curved side face, when adhering a protection film31, the center of the protection film 31 can be pressured from above sothat the protection film 31 is flexed.

Referring to FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c), profile change of the medicalinstrument housing container 1 when an external force is applied theretowill be described. FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show profile change of a medicalinstrument housing container 1 in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention when an external force is applied thereto. FIG. 5(c)shows profile change of a conventional housing container not inaccordance with the present invention and having parallel opposingperipheral edges, when an external force is applied thereto.

As shown in FIG. 5(a), application of an external force to the medicalinstrument housing container 1 induces the lateral stress F₁ to the pairof opposing peripheral edges 5 a, 5 c, whereby the other pair ofperipheral edges 5 b, 5 d therebetween is subjected to the stress F₂.Because the protection film 31 has been flexed, the outward stress F₂ isabsorbed, and the flection (in this embodiment, wrinkles 32) of theprotection film 31 is stretched so that deformation is buffered.Furthermore, as shown by the two-dot dashed lines, even if theperipheral edges 5 b, 5 d are deformed outwardly drawing the protectionfilm 31 along therewith, the protection film 31 can follow thedeformation. As a result, the protection film 31 will not be detachedalong the peripheral edge 5 even under the stresses F₁, F₂.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5(b), application of an external force to themedical instrument housing container 1 induces the lateral stress F₁ toone pair of opposing peripheral edges 5 b, 5 d, whereby the other pairof peripheral edges 5 a, 5 c therebetween is subjected to the stress F₂.As is with the above, because the protection film 31 has been flexed,the outward stress F₂ is absorbed, and the flection (in this embodiment,wrinkles 32) of the protection film 31 is stretched so that deformationis buffered. Furthermore, as shown by the two-dot dashed lines, even ifthe peripheral edges 5 a, 5 c are deformed outwardly drawing theprotection film 31 along therewith, the protection film 31 can followthe deformation. As a result, the protection film 31 will not bedetached along the peripheral edge 5 even under the stresses F₁, F₂.

In contrast, in a conventional housing container 50 having pairs ofparallel opposing peripheral edges 55 a, 55 c and 55 b, 55 d as is shownin FIG. 5(c), the protection film 31 is not flexed and, when the lateralstress F₁ is applied to one pair of opposing peripheral edges 55 a, 55c, the other pair of opposing peripheral edges 55 b, 55 d is subjectedto the stress F₂, whereby the peripheral edges 55 b, 55 d are outwardlydeformed as is shown by the two-dot dashed lines. As a result of thisoutward deformation, the protection film 31 would be forcefully pulledoutwardly and eventually be detached as it is unable to follow thedeformation.

Especially, as is the case with the container body 10 of thisembodiment, when the container body has the substantially rectangularopening 4 with a longer side of 225 to 245 mm and a shorter side of 190to 210 mm and has the peripheral wall 3 with a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm,the amount of outward deformation of the peripheral edge 5 caused by thestresses F₁, F₂ will be substantial, which would increase thepossibility of detachment of the protection film 31. Also, as is thecase with the container body 10 of this embodiment, when the peripheralwall 3 is divided by the ledge 9 into the upper peripheral wall surface6, which is contiguous to the outer edge of the ledge 9 and extendstoward the peripheral edge 5, and the lower peripheral wall surface 7,which is contiguous to the inner edge of the ledge 9 and extends towardthe base 2, the stresses F₁, F₂ are concentrated to the upper peripheralwall surface 6 and the peripheral edge 5. As a result, substantialoutward deformation of the peripheral edge 5 is caused, which wouldincrease the possibility of detachment of the protection film 31.

The term “deformation” herein refers to such deformation that does notaffect usage, or in other words, the medical instruments contained andthe nest holding them are not affected by the deformation. In themedical instrument housing container 1 as shown in FIG. 1, whichincludes the peripheral edge side face 8 and the upper peripheral wallsurface 6, among other deformable side faces, as deformed faces, and thelower peripheral wall surface 7 as a not deformed face, the apparentwidth of the ledge 9 becomes narrower after deformation. In this case,the width of the ledge 9 must be sufficient to allow mounting of thenest or nest tray. For the medical instrument housing container 1 whoseside face is deformable by sterilization, a gap is provided between theupper peripheral wall surface 6 and the nest prior to use, takingpossible deformation into account.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, an example of the medical instrument housing container1 is shown with the peripheral edge 5 and its side faces, the peripheraledge side faces 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d, and the upper peripheral wallsurfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d all curved; however, it suffices that atleast symmetrical portions in one pair of symmetric faces are deformableor deformed. For example, only one pair of opposing upper peripheralwall surfaces 6 a, 6 c or 6 b, 6 d and the contiguous peripheral edgeside faces 8 a, 8 c or 8 b, 8 d of the peripheral edge 5 may be curved.Preferably the lower peripheral wall surfaces 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d of themedical instrument housing container 1 are not curved so as to maintainthe strength of the medical instrument housing container 1.

When the peripheral edge side face 8 a and the upper peripheral wallsurface 6 a are deformable, it is preferable that the peripheral edgeside face 8 c and the upper peripheral wall surface 6 c, being theirsymmetric counterpart faces, are also deformable. When the lowerperipheral wall surface 7 a is deformable, it is preferable that thelower peripheral wall surface 7 c is also deformable.

Although the medical instrument housing container 1 illustrated in FIG.1 has the curved and deformed peripheral edge side face 8 and upperperipheral wall surface 6, if necessary, the lower peripheral wallsurface 7 may be similarly curved and deformed so as to facilitateabsorption of stress by the overall medical instrument housing container1.

Any of the peripheral edge 5 and its side faces, the peripheral edgeside faces 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d, the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6b, 6 c, 6 d, and the lower peripheral wall surfaces 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 dmay be curved.

The peripheral edge 5 and its side faces, the peripheral edge side faces8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d, the upper peripheral wall surfaces 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6d, and the lower peripheral wall surfaces 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d may bebent, or curved while bent in the center.

The curvatures X₁ and X₂ shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) may be the same ordifferent. When the curvatures X₁ and X₂ are the same, the width of theperipheral edge 5 to which the protection film 31 has been adhered orheat-sealed can be kept constant before and after sterilization, thusthe sealed condition can be stably maintained without reducing theadhesive capacity.

The deformation in one side face alone is shown in FIG. 3. In relationto the curvatures in this side face, curvatures in deformation in anopposing or adjacent side face may be the same or different.

The materials for the body of the medical instrument housing container 1are selected in terms of chemical resistance, heat resistance, gas andmicrobial barrier ability, safety for organisms, and the like. Forexample, polyolefin resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, andcyclic polyolefin; polystyrene; polycarbonate; polyester such aspolyethylene terephthalate; and polyamide can be used. Particularly,polypropylene is preferable for the ease of injection molding, the heatresistance against autoclaving, and the heat-sealability for theprotection film 31.

To form a curve in the medical instrument housing container 1 byautoclaving, a preferable thickness of the base 2, the peripheral wall3, the peripheral edge 5, and the ledge 9 of the medical instrumenthousing container 1 is from 0.5 to 3 mm. A preferable width of theperipheral edge 5 of the medical instrument housing container 1 is from7 to 30 mm. A preferable width of the ledge 9 of the medical instrumenthousing container 1 is from 5 to 30 mm. Beyond these ranges, formationof a suitable curve during autoclaving will be impaired. Below theseranges, the strength will be insufficient. These ranges are alsopreferable for ethylene oxide gas sterilization, gamma raysterilization, and electron beam sterilization.

The medical instrument housing container 1 is formed by molding. Usablemolding can include injection molding, blow molding, compressionmolding, and the like.

For the protection film 31, any type of material can be used as long asit is gas permeable and impervious to particulates, including withoutlimitation, sheets made of resin and/or paper, for example. Inparticular, a high-density polyethylene nonwoven sheet can be included;more particularly, TYVEK® made by DuPont is preferable. It should benoted that, “gas permeable” herein refers to steam or ethylene oxide gaspermeable, while “particulates” refers to fungi, bacteria, and the like.

Thus, in accordance with the medical instrument housing container 1whose side face(s) is deformed by curving only inwardly, outwarddeformation of the profile of the medical instrument housing containercaused by stresses such as vibration, impacts due to fall or collision,external pressure, and the like during packing, transport, or storagethereof can be buffered, such that an associated problem of detachmentof the protection film, unable to follow the profile change, can besolved.

It should be noted that, although the protection film 31 in theembodiment is flexed and has wrinkles 32, the protection film 31 may beonly flexed and have no wrinkles to cover the opening 4, for example, itmay cover the opening 4 being flexed toward the base 2 of the containerbody 10 without wrinkles.

Embodiments of the medical instrument housing container according to thepresent invention are useful as a container for holding medicalinstruments that require sterilization such as prefilled syringes andprefillable syringes therefor, syringes, needles, blood collection bags,blood collection equipment, and catheters, arranged in rows and/or hungby means of a nest therein, and for transport and storage with thesterile condition thereof maintained.

What is claimed is:
 1. A medical instrument housing containercomprising: a container body including: a substantially rectangularbase, a peripheral wall having a lower end that is contiguous to aperimeter of the base and extending upward, and a peripheral edgeportion that comprises a plurality of peripheral edges, that iscontiguous to an upper end of the peripheral wall, and that extendsoutwardly, wherein the substantially rectangular base, the peripheralwall, and the peripheral edge portion are molded from resin, and thecontainer body has an opening surrounded by the peripheral edge portion;one or more medical instruments held in the container body; and aprotection film that is adhered or heat-sealed to the peripheral edgeportion for covering and sealing the opening, wherein the medicalinstrument housing container is a medical instrument housing containerthat has been subjected to sterilization, wherein each of the pluralityof peripheral edges of the peripheral edge portion is curved inwardly,and wherein the protection film comprises a plurality of outerperipheral edges, each of the plurality of outer peripheral edges of theprotective film being curved inwardly along a respective one of theplurality of peripheral edges of the peripheral edge portion.
 2. Themedical instrument housing container according to claim 1, wherein theopening is substantially rectangular with a longer side having a lengthin a range of 225 to 245 mm and a shorter side having a length in arange of 190 to 210 mm, and wherein the peripheral wall has a thicknessof 0.5 to 3 mm.
 3. The medical instrument housing container according toclaim 1, wherein the peripheral wall has a ledge disposed around andprotruding inward from an inner wall surface of the peripheral wall, andwherein the medical instrument housing container further includes a nesttray configured to hold the medical instrument, the nest tray beingmounted on the ledge.
 4. The medical instrument housing containeraccording to claim 3, wherein the peripheral wall is divided into anupper peripheral wall surface contiguous to an outer edge of the ledgeand extending toward the peripheral edge portion and a lower peripheralwall surface contiguous to an inner edge of the ledge and extendingtoward the base.
 5. The medical instrument housing container accordingto claim 3, wherein the one or more medical instruments comprise aplurality of syringe barrels intended to be filled with a drug, eachhaving a cap at a distal end and a flange at a proximal end, and whereina plurality of receiving cylinders configured to receive the pluralityof syringe barrels is disposed such that the receiving cylinder extendthrough the nest tray, the receiving cylinders being organized in rows.6. The medical instrument housing container according to claim 1,wherein at least a portion of the peripheral edge portion has an inwardcurvature in a range of 1 to 5 mm.
 7. The medical instrument housingcontainer according to claim 1, wherein the protection film is anonwoven sheet made of resin that is gas permeable and impervious toparticulates.
 8. The medical instrument housing container according toclaim 7, wherein the sterilization is autoclaving, and wherein, as aresult of the autoclaving, the peripheral edge portion is curved inwardand the protection film that has been adhered or heat-sealed to theperipheral edge portion is flexed.
 9. The medical instrument housingcontainer according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge portion hasa width in a range of 7 to 30 mm.
 10. The medical instrument housingcontainer according to claim 3, wherein the ledge has a width in a rangeof 5 to 30 mm.
 11. The medical instrument housing container according toclaim 1, wherein the opening is substantially rectangular with a longerside having a length in a range of 225 to 245 mm and a shorter sidehaving a length in a range of 190 to 210 mm, and wherein the peripheralwall has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.
 12. The medical instrument housingcontainer according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral wall has a ledgedisposed around and protruding inward from an inner wall surface of theperipheral wall, and wherein the medical instrument housing containerfurther includes a nest tray configured to hold the medical instrument,the nest tray being mounted on the ledge.
 13. The medical instrumenthousing container according to claim 12, wherein the peripheral wall isdivided into an upper peripheral wall surface contiguous to an outeredge of the ledge and extending toward the peripheral edge portion and alower peripheral wall surface contiguous to an inner edge of the ledgeand extending toward the base.
 14. The medical instrument housingcontainer according to claim 13, wherein the one or more medicalinstruments comprise a plurality of syringe barrels intended to befilled with a drug, each having a cap at a distal end and a flange at aproximal end, and wherein a plurality of receiving cylinders configuredto receive the plurality of syringe barrels is disposed such that thereceiving cylinder extend through the nest tray, the receiving cylindersbeing organized in rows.
 15. The medical instrument housing containeraccording to claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral edgeportion has an inward curvature in a range of 1 to 5 mm.
 16. The medicalinstrument housing container according to claim 15, wherein theprotection film is a nonwoven sheet made of resin that is gas permeableand impervious to particulates.
 17. The medical instrument housingcontainer according to claim 16, wherein the sterilization isautoclaving, and wherein, as a result of the autoclaving, the peripheraledge portion is curved inward and the protection film that has beenadhered or heat-sealed to the peripheral edge portion is flexed.
 18. Themedical instrument housing container according to claim 17, wherein theperipheral edge portion has a width in a range of 7 to 30 mm.